East Coast skier planning trip to ski the Rockies -- help!
Dec 28th, 2005, 09:05 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
East Coast skier planning trip to ski the Rockies -- help!
My husband and I are planning a trip in early February to Colorado, to ski the west for the first time. We're both intermediate skiers (he honed his skills in Vermont, I did in Michigan) and need help planning a 9 day trip. We'd like to hit as many resorts as possible, as we have a young child and we're not sure when we'll be able to "get away" like this again. Upon suggestions of this board, we'll avoid Pres' day weekend, but any other tips as to where to stay and ski would help -- we're contemplating flying in and out of Denver, and spending a day or two at each of Beaver Creek, Vail, Breckenridge and Keystone. Because we'll be moving around, suggestions as to a website or service that could be helpful in planning such a trip would be greatly appreciated!!
Dec 28th, 2005, 09:30 AM
#2
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You really can ski all those places without changing lodging. I have a friend who comes up to visit every year and skis all the resorts while staying with me in Keystone. If I were you, I'd look at www.vrbo.com and see if you can find something in Dillon, Frisco, or Silverthorne. You can ski each of the Vail Resorts on the same lift ticket package. www.snow.com
Dec 28th, 2005, 08:25 PM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 623
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Catbert is right. All those areas are within 15 - 40 minutes of Frisco. The toughest to get to if weather conditions are bad would be over Vail Pass to Beaver Creek & Vail. But on bad weather days just ski Breck or Keystone. I have friends from Wisc. who own a house just outside of Keystone and when they come out every March for a week they do exactly what you're suggesting doing. Now, if your heart is set on ski-in/ski-out lodging at each resort........that's another story.
By the way...........lower peninsula, or U.P.???
By the way...........lower peninsula, or U.P.???
Dec 29th, 2005, 06:13 AM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Consider Utah- better snow, better value reguarding lift tickets, cheaper and eaiser flights with 8 (or was it 10?) resorts within an hour of the airport.
Alta, Solitude, Snowbird, Brighton, Park City, Deer Valley....the list goes on.
Personally I would try to cut down on visiting too many resorts during the same trip- you end up skiing around lost half the time- if you insist consider hiring a guide for a few hours the first day you ski somewhere
Alta, Solitude, Snowbird, Brighton, Park City, Deer Valley....the list goes on.
Personally I would try to cut down on visiting too many resorts during the same trip- you end up skiing around lost half the time- if you insist consider hiring a guide for a few hours the first day you ski somewhere
Dec 29th, 2005, 10:25 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
These areas are expensive compared to other states. I agree in staying with one lodge. With nine days, you could also hit Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mtn, or Winter Park in the same general area. Copper Mtn has had the best snow so far this year.
Dec 29th, 2005, 12:58 PM
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 16,907
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree--we ski all those resorts/areas, and drive 2 hours to get there. If you are in Summit County, you can get to a bunch of places very easily. (And not haul luggage, wet ski clothes, and equipment all over the place.)
Dec 29th, 2005, 06:18 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll join the crowd in recommending that you NOT move around so much, particularly as you can get to all or most of the resorts you mentioned quite easily from one location.
The towns of Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne are centrally located between Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, but as you probably already know, none of those towns is actually at a ski resort. That means the lodging prices will be a little cheaper, but that you will definitely have a commute for every place you go. Also, some people would say the ambiance in those towns is not quite as special, for various reasons, as Beaver Creek, Vail or Breck. Vail will be more expensive, and to go to any of the other resorts (other than Beaver Creek), you'll have to cross Vail Pass, which is usually an easy trip, but it only takes one snowstorm to mess that up. But it's a beautiful town with great restaurants. Beaver Creek is cute, harder to get around in, great restaurants, and even further away. I would not suggest staying in Beaver Creek. Breck is a former mining town, so it's more authentic (for what that's worth), easy to walk around in, good but not great restaurants.
Will the young child be with you on this trip? That may be the biggest factor in your decisions. If he/she will be with you, you'll probably be putting him/her in day care or ski school (depending on age), and you'll want to book that in advance.
To add to your list of places to ski, I would also suggest Copper Mountain. Beaver Creek, while good skiing also, is the furthest away from the others. Vail is the biggest, of course; you could easily spend several days there and not sky the entire resort (or even all the runs at your level). Breck, while it has challenging runs, also has lots of good gradual stuff, but it can be cold and windy. I would give Arapahoe Basin a miss on this trip; it's more of an advanced/expert mountain, and a little further away, and you have so many other choices. Vail is at a lower elevation than the other resorts that have been mentioned, so if you go late in the season, the bottom of the mountain is more likely to be mushy by the end of the day.
Enjoy your trip - the snow is fabulous so far this year!
The towns of Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne are centrally located between Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, but as you probably already know, none of those towns is actually at a ski resort. That means the lodging prices will be a little cheaper, but that you will definitely have a commute for every place you go. Also, some people would say the ambiance in those towns is not quite as special, for various reasons, as Beaver Creek, Vail or Breck. Vail will be more expensive, and to go to any of the other resorts (other than Beaver Creek), you'll have to cross Vail Pass, which is usually an easy trip, but it only takes one snowstorm to mess that up. But it's a beautiful town with great restaurants. Beaver Creek is cute, harder to get around in, great restaurants, and even further away. I would not suggest staying in Beaver Creek. Breck is a former mining town, so it's more authentic (for what that's worth), easy to walk around in, good but not great restaurants.
Will the young child be with you on this trip? That may be the biggest factor in your decisions. If he/she will be with you, you'll probably be putting him/her in day care or ski school (depending on age), and you'll want to book that in advance.
To add to your list of places to ski, I would also suggest Copper Mountain. Beaver Creek, while good skiing also, is the furthest away from the others. Vail is the biggest, of course; you could easily spend several days there and not sky the entire resort (or even all the runs at your level). Breck, while it has challenging runs, also has lots of good gradual stuff, but it can be cold and windy. I would give Arapahoe Basin a miss on this trip; it's more of an advanced/expert mountain, and a little further away, and you have so many other choices. Vail is at a lower elevation than the other resorts that have been mentioned, so if you go late in the season, the bottom of the mountain is more likely to be mushy by the end of the day.
Enjoy your trip - the snow is fabulous so far this year!
Jan 5th, 2006, 06:46 AM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the help. We've decided to stay in Breck for the week at a B&B, and ski 4 or 5 out of the 9 days, hitting whatever resort moves us that particular day. Any suggestions for mid-priced restaurants (we're foodies when we vacation)for dinner would be great. We'll also probably spend one special dinner out, so your favorite high end one in case we decide to go all out?
Jan 5th, 2006, 07:29 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would second the Cafe Alpine vote for your special high-end restaurant; it's our favorite in Breck. Lots of people like Blue River Bistro, right on Main St., but it can get very loud and crowded, especially on Friday nights.
For mid-priced places, we're not the steak-and-potatoes types, so I can't tell you about any of those. Mi Casa is fun and has good food; Fiesta Jalisco has more authentic food and the service is fast, though the staff knows little English; it kind of depends on what kind of Mexican I feel like between those two.
If you like ethnic, My Thai is a great little place. The owners really work hard to do a good job, and are helpful and pleasant. I'm not sure how authentic the food is, but it tastes good! Also, Flying Fish Sushi is good, if you like sushi. Our favorite for pasta is Rasta Pasta - I never would have thought pasta with fruit in it would be good, but it is!
The Crown, right on Main St., is good for drinks and desserts (and ice cream, if you like that sort of thing in the winter); great ambiance. Crepes a la Carte has great crepes; they have all sorts, but we usually stick with the standards, sugar and lemon, or nutella. Clint's has great baked goods, for breakfast or lunch, as well as coffee drinks.
Enjoy!
For mid-priced places, we're not the steak-and-potatoes types, so I can't tell you about any of those. Mi Casa is fun and has good food; Fiesta Jalisco has more authentic food and the service is fast, though the staff knows little English; it kind of depends on what kind of Mexican I feel like between those two.
If you like ethnic, My Thai is a great little place. The owners really work hard to do a good job, and are helpful and pleasant. I'm not sure how authentic the food is, but it tastes good! Also, Flying Fish Sushi is good, if you like sushi. Our favorite for pasta is Rasta Pasta - I never would have thought pasta with fruit in it would be good, but it is!
The Crown, right on Main St., is good for drinks and desserts (and ice cream, if you like that sort of thing in the winter); great ambiance. Crepes a la Carte has great crepes; they have all sorts, but we usually stick with the standards, sugar and lemon, or nutella. Clint's has great baked goods, for breakfast or lunch, as well as coffee drinks.
Enjoy!
